


After Dark

by driftingskies237



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Canon Era, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff, Idiots in Love, King Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), M/M, Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Romance, Sneaking Around, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:14:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23850631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/driftingskies237/pseuds/driftingskies237
Summary: Exhausted and missing each other, Merlin and Arthur share a brief moment late at night.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 421





	After Dark

The streets of Camelot are empty, finally free from the raucous noise of the day. A calm, dark quiet has overtaken the sleepy town. Housetops wallow in the silver of the moonlight. A few midnight crows clamber around the cobblestones, fighting over dropped crumbs. It’s deep into the night, yet two figures remain awake, much to their chagrin.

Daytime, while cheery and jovial, is also active and unrelenting. From the crack of dawn, servants wake to care for their masters. Townspeople begin meandering about, trading goods for coins as they go about their daily duties. Nobles rise, making their way across the castle for royal duties and negotiations. As the sun goes up further in the sky, Camelot grows busier and busier. With a new King, duties for everyone are especially large, but for no one more so than the King and his own manservant.

Starting a new relationship right before Prince Arthur became crowned King Arthur was perhaps a bad idea, but no one ever thinks about schematics when they’re in love. It just happens, much like it did for Arthur and Merlin. Yes, it started as a gradual thing, just fluttering hearts and flirting smiles, before it crescendos into something more. Yearning, pining, deep affections, until it finally reaches the peak, when the two of them finally admitted their mutual feelings. Usually, new romantic partners spend constant time with each other, or at least certainly more than Merlin and Arthur are. Unfortunately, a King’s duties are always toward his kingdom, even if he wishes to be anywhere else. Similarly, Merlin’s duty is to his King, who recently has needed his help with so many tasks that the two hardly intersect courses. Not to mention, Merlin’s duties to Gaius continue throughout this. Any potential alone time the two might have, such as during lunch or dinner time, get superseded by Merlin helping as the Physician’s Assistant.

Within the darkness of the town, a single beacon of light flickers from the King’s castle chambers. Inside, Arthur Pendragon huddles over his desk, mulling over the latest treaty with a neighboring kingdom. A pervasive throb settles behind his eyes. He squeezes them shut, bringing one hand up to massage at his temples. Candle wax drips on the tabletop, hardening in a pile. One of the candle flames suddenly flickers before dying out, darkening the room further. The fire in the hearth continues to burn just barely, flames chewing up the last of the logs.

Currently, Arthur wishes for nothing more than to collapse into bed and let sleep overtake him, but he presses forward. The treaty outlines need to be completed before tomorrow afternoon, and Arthur is much to busy to tend to them tomorrow morning.

The familiar, high-pitched creaking noise from opening his chamber door echoes through the silent room. Normally, Arthur would turn his head to check and see who could be at his door, but he doesn’t need to look at the intruder to know that it’s Merlin. So many little things give it away, from the lack of a knock, to the quietness and stiffness of his movements, careful in case Arthur is asleep at his desk. The door creaks shut behind Merlin a few seconds later.

“You should be asleep by now, Arthur,” Merlin murmurs, making his way to the table Arthur perches at.

“I could say the same about you,” Arthur drawls back.

“Mmh,” Merlin hums in acknowledgement.

Arthur sneaks a glance behind him. Merlin lingers behind his chair and peers over his shoulder at the documents laid out along the tabletop. Even in the dimness of the firelight, Arthur can spot the dark circles marring the skin beneath Merlin’s eyes, along with the shakiness of his fingers as he comes up to grasp the back of Arthur’s chair.

At that moment, yet another throb erupts in Arthur’s skull. He reaches up to rub at his aching head once more, trying to remember what he’s even reading.

“Arthur.”

It’s just one word, his name, but Arthur knows by now the tone that sits behind it. This time, it’s a gentle command, one that if Arthur was feeling better, he would reprimand. Now, though, he simply grimaces at Merlin, waving him off with one hand.

“I need to get this done.”

Merlin sighs. “You need to rest. You won’t comprehend a word you write or read if you continue on like this for much longer.”

“What about you?” Arthur asks.

“Me?”

“You look like you’re about to collapse, idiot.”

“I’m fine,” Merlin promises. Arthur gives him an unconvinced look. “Really, I’m fine. It’s just…been a long day.”

“I can attest to that.”

Merlin’s lips curl into a smile. He opens his mouth to speak again, but gets cut off by a rumbling noise. Arthur frowns, looking around in confusion. It’s only when he sees the redness of Merlin’s face that he realizes the sound came from Merlin’s stomach. Arthur rolls his eyes, gently putting down his quill.

“Merlin,” Arthur begins, “Did you eat dinner tonight?”

“Does part of an apple count?”

“If you have to ask, then it doesn’t count.”

Despite Merlin’s constant pestering and worrying about Arthur’s well-being, Merlin seldom worries about his own state of self; therefore, the job falls to Arthur. Honestly, if it weren’t for him watching out for Merlin, he isn’t sure what would happen. He knows that Merlin takes care of him with magic, but despite how powerful Merlin claims to be, he’s also an idiot that doesn’t ever put himself first.

“Okay, come on then,” Arthur decides in that moment, standing up from his chair. His joints crack in retaliation, a reminder that he’s not the young, inexperienced Prince that he used to be.

“What?” Merlin asks, confused.

Arthur smiles, reaching out a hand for Merlin to clasp. “We have to get you something to eat. I don’t want you to waste away on me.”

“But the kitchens aren’t open.”

“I’m the King, Merlin. The kitchen is never closed for me.”

Merlin chuckles, finally taking his offered hand. Their fingers intertwine, skin against skin. Merlin’s hands are rough and calloused from a day of labor, while Arthur’s fingers are stained with ink splotches. Together, they creep out into the corridor. A few guards linger around, guarding the castle and the King, but they all know better than to make any comments or ask questions.

Used to dodging bodies throughout the corridors of the castle, the pair revel in the emptiness. The stone lined castle walls cast in a chill with no sunlight streaming through the windows yet to warm them. Escaping from Arthur’s fire lit chambers is especially a shock to their systems. Goosebumps travel up their arms. The only thing that remains warm all the way to the kitchens are their hands that never let go of one another.

They scavenge for food once they arrive. Luckily, Merlin knows all of Cook’s spots for the best of treats. A fresh loaf of bread, smell of grain still lingering in the air, is the first thing they grab. They also find some of Cook’s famous sweet rolls already baked for morning, along with some various fruits.

“You know I’m going to get blamed for this, right?” Merlin whispers.

“Of course, you are. They can’t blame the King of Camelot. Besides, I hear Cook has it out for you recently,” Arthur whispers back.

“Don’t remind me,” Merlin mutters. “I take one extra slice of pie…”

They gather all the goodies onto a tray, despite Merlin’s quiet protests that he’ll have to clean it later. The lethargy from the day catches up to them more and more, so much that by the time they arrive back in Arthur’s chambers, they’re stumbling over each other like colts.

Nevertheless, they collapse on the bed together, tray in between them. It’s so indecent to be eating in bed, much less in the King’s bed, but that makes it all the better. Crumbs flitter amongst the sheets, but neither care enough to do more than swipe them away.

It isn’t until Merlin starts eating that he realizes just how starving he feels. He eats almost the entire plate, not even comprehending so until he notices Arthur lounging on his side, smiling at a chowing Merlin.

“Sorry,” Merlin murmurs, finishing off another bite from the bread.

“Don’t be. You need to eat.”

“Do I?”

Arthur rolls his eyes, taking the tray from between them and placing it on the nightstand. With no tray between them, they gravitate closer. Merlin shivers a bit, huddling into Arthur’s chest. The fire has almost died out, leaving them with only the sparse flickering of a dying flame. Only a few candles remain lit, as well, like speckled stars across the room.

“Relight the fire,” Arthur says.

Merlin shifts, and even though Arthur can not seem him, he can feel Merlin’s incredulous gaze. “Why do I have to do it, prat? ‘M freezing.”

“Hm, if only there was a way to light the fire without having to get up?”

“Oh, yeah.”

A golden glow that Arthur has become familiar with pierces the dark fabric of the room. A warm gust of wind seems to travel between them, curling and dancing, before landing over at the hearth. Crackling fire bursts up, framing the sides of their faces. Merlin’s eyes fade away, back to their deep blue. Arthur has always loved the in-between; that moment right after Merlin uses his magic, when the vibrant gold has just started leaving his irises, leaving his eyes a swirling mass of blue and gold flecks. The two parts of Merlin intertwined as one.

Now, the couple can properly melt into each other’s gaze. The tension releases from Arthur’s shoulders when he sees Merlin smile softly at him. Arthur reaches his arm around Merlin’s back, yearning to be closer. Merlin giggles as Arthur’s fingers pass over his side on their way.

Merlin grapples for Arthur’s other hand, clutching their fingers together once more. Merlin snuggles himself into Arthur, their legs naturally tangling together. Their hearts beat steady and strong, comforted by the fact that their back with each other once more.

“It’s been hard, recently,” Arthur admits, swallowing back the quiver in his voice. “I feel like we never see one another.”

Merlin sighs in agreement. “I know. But things will settle down eventually.”

“Eventually.”

“Until then, we will take advantage of every moment we have together, no matter how fleeting.”

Arthur nods, voice tired from talking all day, and head still hurting. Merlin reads him like a book, reaching up to caress the side of his head. Arthur groans, face burying into the pillow as fingers rub across his tender temples. Suddenly, in his haze, Arthur remembers why he had a headache in the first place. Fumbling, he goes to push Merlin off.

“Treaty…” Arthur explains, words slurring. “I need to…”

Merlin shushes him, coaxing him back onto the bed. “Tomorrow. I’ll help you finish, I promise.”

And Arthur trusts Merlin’s promises with his life, just as Merlin trusts Arthur’s. So he eases himself back onto the fluffy covers, back into Merlin’s embrace. They just stare at each other for a bit, outlining the other’s features as if they’ll disappear at any given moment.

Arthur’s thumb swipes against Merlin’s bottom lip before pressing a chaste kiss there with a smile. Merlin leans in for another kiss, this one lingering. There’s something better than a fiery heat behind the kisses: unfiltered love. A need for being together, held in each other’s arms. A few last presses of lips later, Merlin feels his eyes unwillingly shutting.

Arthur chuckles, a deep rumbling in his chest. “We should go to sleep.”

“Mmm…” Merlin acknowledges. “’Still have our shoes on.”

“Go to sleep, idiot.”

No sooner than Arthur’s words are spoken does Merlin’s breathing even out, and he falls lax against Arthur’s chest. Arthur himself begins drifting off almost instantly, lulled by the warm press of Merlin’s body next to him. With one last squeeze of Merlin’s hand, his eyes flutter shut, and he too succumbs to sleep.


End file.
